OUR RESPONSIBILITY
EZEKIEL 33:1-9 READ AFTER OPENING REMARKS
JUST WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS CHRISTIANS? ARE WE NOT GOD’S AMBASSADORS? PAUL TELLS US IN 2 CORINTHIANS 5:20 “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,” WHAT IS AN AMBASSADOR?
WEBSTER DEFINES AMBASSADOR AS “AN OFFICIAL OF THE HIGHEST RANK SENT TO REPRESENT HIS GOVERNMENT IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY.”
AN OFFICIAL OF THE HIGHEST RANK. DID YOU KNOW THAT WE AS CHRISTIANS ARE OFFICIALS OF THE HIGHEST RANK? OTHER THAN THE HOLY TRINITY, WHAT IS HIGHER THAN ROYALTY? AREN’T THE KINGS OF THE PAST AND KINGS OF TODAY OF THE HIGHEST RANK?
1 PETER 2:9 TELLS US THAT WE ARE A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD. WE CHRISTIANS ARE ROYALTY THROUGH CHRIST JESUS. IN THE CHURCH AGE, ALL CHRISTIANS ARE UNCONDITIONALLY CONSTITUTED A KINGDOM AND PRIESTS. THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE CHRISTIAN IS THEREFORE A BIRTHRIGHT. JUST AS EVERY DESCENDANT OF AARON WAS BORN TO THE PRIESTHOOD.
AS JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST, AND AS PART OF A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, WE ARE THEREFORE OFFICIALS OF THE HIGHEST RANK, REPRESENTING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN A WORLD WHERE WE ARE FOREIGNERS.
WE ARE SET APART, WE ARE A PECULIAR PEOPLE. WE ARE FOREIGN TO THE WORLD SYSTEM BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN REDEEMED.
AS AMBASSADORS WE ARE TO REPRESENT JESUS IN THIS PRESENT WORLD. WE ARE TO GO AND SHARE THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS. THIS IS THE MESSAGE THAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED US WITH. WE HAVE EXPRESS AND FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT THE WORLD IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF.
WE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN TO SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO EVERY FOREIGNER (OR SINNER) THAT WE COME IN CONTACT WITH. ARE WE FAILING AS AMBASSADORS TO CHRIST? ARE WE DOING THE JOB THAT WE HAVE BEEN APPOINTED BY GOD ALMIGHTY TO DO? THERE ARE DIRE CONSEQUENCES FOR POOR PERFORMANCE.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE EVER UNDERGONE A PERFORMANCE REVIEW? YOU NORMALLY GET THOSE ABOUT ONCE A YEAR. WELL, OUR PERFORMANCE REVIEWS AS AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST WILL COME ONLY ONE TIME. AND SINCE IT IS ONLY GOING TO COME ONE TIME THEN WE WILL NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS.
WE ARE ALSO NOT GOING TO GET CONSTRUCTIVE ADVICE ON HOW TO IMPROVE OUR PERFORMANCE LIKE WE DO DOWN HERE ON EARTH. NO SECOND CHANCE. SO WE HAD BETTER DO A SELF EVALUATION TO SEE IF WE ARE PERFORMING UP TO STANDARD.
THIS PERFORMANCE REVIEW WILL CONSIDER ALL THE TIME THAT WE SPENT HERE ON THIS EARTH AS A CHRISTIAN. IF THAT BE 60 YEARS OR 6O MINUTES, WE WILL BE REVIEWED FOR THAT LENGTH OF TIME.
NOW IF YOU HAVE BEEN A CHRISTIAN FOR 30 YEARS, AND ONLY DECIDED AFTER 29 ½ YEARS THAT THE GREAT COMMISSION WAS REALLY FOR YOU, I WOULD SAY THAT YOU WILL HAVE A PRETTY POOR EVALUATION ON YOUR PERFORMANCE REVIEW.
LETS READ WHAT THE SCRIPTURE TELLS US ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE REVIEW. TURN WITH ME TO EZEKIEL 33:1-9.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO BE WATCHMEN TO THE WORLD. THIS IS THE OLD TESTAMENT WORD FOR AMBASSADOR. GOD IS TELLING US THROUGH EZEKIEL THAT WE ARE TO WARN THE WICKED (THE LOST) OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF SIN, AND THAT CONSEQUENCE IS WHAT? VERSE 8 SAYS O WICKED MAN, THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.
THE CONSEQUENCE IS DEATH. AND WE AS CHRISTIANS KNOW THAT THIS DEATH IS NOT JUST THE CESSATION OF LIFE AS WE KNOW IT, BUT IT IS THE BEGINNING OF ALL ETERNITY. AND IF THIS WICKED ONE DIES WITHOUT CHRIST, THEN HIS ETERNITY WILL BE SPENT IN A BURNING HELL FOREVER AND EVER, WITH NO POSSIBILITY FOR PAROLE.
AND IF WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE CHRIST WITH THEM, TO SHARE THIS ULTIMATE JUDGEMENT AND DID NOT DO SO, NO MATTER WHAT THE REASON, THEN ACCORDING TO VERSE 8, THEIR BLOOD WILL BE REQUIRED AT THINE HAND.
THEIR BLOOD WILL BE ON OUR HANDS WHEN WE FACE THE FINAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW OF OUR LIVES. WHAT THIS MEANS FOR US IS A REDUCTION IN THE REWARD FOR FAITHFUL SERVICE. YOU SEE THERE WILL BE DEGREES OF REWARD IN HEAVEN. IT IS ALL BASED UPON OUR WORKS AS A CHRISTIAN.
SALVATION IS NEVER BASED ON WORKS. WE CAN NEVER WORK OUR WAY TO HEAVEN. BUT OUR HEAVENLY REWARD IS BASED UPON WORKS. WHAT WE DO AS A CHRISTIAN DOES HAVE AN AFFECT ON US NOW AND IN ETERNITY.
A PERFORMANCE REVIEW NOT ONLY LOOKS AT THE WORK WE DO, BUT HOW WE DO IT. THERE IS INSTRUCTION IN THE SCRIPTURE OF HOW WE ARE TO DELIVER THE MESSAGE OF SALVATION.
JEREMIAH 26:2 “Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:”
ALL TO OFTEN IN OUR DAY AND TIME IN AN ATTEMPT TO BE POLITICALLY CORRECT, WE OFTEN HEAR THE GOSPEL REDUCED TO PEACE, LOVE, AND JOY. WHILE THESE ARE TRUE AND A PART OF THE REALITY OF LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST, THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE WHOLE TRUTH.
THERE ARE TOO MANY PASTORS AND TEACHERS OUT THERE THAT WANT TO PREACH AND TEACH WHAT THE PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR, NOT WHAT THEY NEED TO HEAR. THERE ARE TOO MANY THAT PUT WHAT PEOPLE WANT TO HEAR ABOVE WHAT GOD WANTS SAID.
TOO MANY PREACHERS TODAY WANT TO PREACH A SOCIAL GOSPEL. A FEEL GOOD GOSPEL A GOSPEL THAT IS SUGAR COATED SO TO SPEAK. I HAVE HEARD THIS TYPE OF CHURCH ENVIRONMENT CALLED A CAFFEINE FREE CHURCH.
I AM HEAR TO TELL YOU THIS MORNING THAT THE CAFFEINE FREE CHURCH WON’T WAKE YOU UP, IT WON’T SHAKE YOU UP AND IT WON’T TAKE YOU UP. AS LONG AS I AM PASTOR OF Parkersburg Baptist Church WE WILL NOT HAVE A CAFFEINE FREE CHURCH.
I MAKE NO APOLOGY FOR WHAT I PREACH. AS LONG AS GOD LAYS IT ON MY HEART THEN I AM GOING TO PREACH IT AND PREACH IT THE BEST WAY I KNOW HOW. AND IF THE MESSAGE OR HOW IT IS PRESENTED OFFENDS ANYONE, THEN IN MY BOOK THEY NEEDED TO HEAR IT.
CHRISTIANS NEED TO REALIZE THAT THE MESSAGE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN COMMANDED TO CARRY TO THE FOREIGN LAND IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. BECAUSE THE REALITY OF FAITH IN CHRIST IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.
YES WE MUST TEACH THE LIFE SIDE OF FAITH, BUT WE MUST NOT FORSAKE SOUNDING THE ALARM AND SHOUTING THE WARNING TO THIS GENERATION CONCERNING DEATH AND JUDGEMENT.
WHILE MODERN ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY AND MORAL DECLINES MAY HAVE CHANGED LIFE IN THE CENTURY THAT WE LIVE IN AND WHILE MEDICAL ADVANCES MAY PROLONG LIFE, DEATH IS INEVITABLE.
JESUS CHRIST IS STILL THE ONLY ANSWER TO LIFE’S ULTIMATE CERTAINTY—WHICH IS DEATH.
THE QUESTION IS WILL THOSE WE ENCOUNTER SPEND ETERNITY IN HEAVEN OR HELL WHILE WE ARE ON WATCH. WHILE WE HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THE LIFE AND DEATH MESSAGE, AS AN AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST.
WHERE WILL THESE PEOPLE SPEND ETERNITY? IT IS A QUESTION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE. SOMEONE ASKED US THAT QUESTION AT ONE TIME.
THEY MAY NOT HAVE COME RIGHT OUT AND SAID, WHERE WILL YOU SPEND ETERNITY, BUT WE READ BETWEEN THE LINES WE GOT THE MESSAGE, AND AS AN AMBASSADOR A WATCHMEN, IT IS NOW OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO ASK THE QUESTION AND GIVE THE MESSAGE TO SOMEONE ELSE.
YOU ALL HAVE RESPONSIBILITIES AT HOME, AT WORK, EVEN AT PLAY. IF YOU ARE ON A BALL TEAM THEN YOU HAVE RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP DEFEAT THE OTHER TEAM. AS CHRISTIANS IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO SHARE JESUS WITH THE WORLD.
IN THE BIBLICAL EXAMPLE THE RICH MAN HAD EVERYTHING BUT JESUS. IN DEATH JESUS IS ALL THAT MATTERS. THE OLD SAYING “SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE” IS REALLY TRUE. IN A CHANGING CULTURE SOME THINGS ARE STILL CERTAIN, HEAVEN OR HELL, and LIFE, OR DEATH.
THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST HAS BEEN THE SAME FOR TWO THOUSAND YEARS. ONLY THE METHODS OF DELIVERY HAVE CHANGED. IF YOU DON’T BELIEVE ME THEN WHY ARE THEIR SO MANY VERSIONS OF THE SCRIPTURE. IT IS THERE TO HELP PEOPLE BETTER UNDERSTAND.
WITH BETTER UNDERSTANDING COMES THE ABILITY TO REACH MORE PEOPLE.
I WANT YOU TO LISTEN AS I GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE OF GOD’S GRACE; SEE IF YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT CHRISTIAN’S REALLY HAVE TO OFFER. Illustration 1 & 2.
IF WE ARE GUILTY OF THIS THEN OUR HANDS ARE GOING TO BE COVERED IN BLOOD AT THE JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. WHAT IF OUR HANDS STAY THAT WAY FOR ALL OF ETERNITY?
I WONDER WHAT KIND OF STIGMA MAY BE ATTACHED TO US FOR THROWING AWAY THE SOULS OF OTHER MEN AND WOMEN, WHEN WE KNEW THE CONSEQUENCES OF A LIFE OF SIN.
WE ARE TOLD ABOUT THE GOOD IN HEAVEN. BUT WE ARE NOT TOLD EXACTLY WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES ARE WHEN GOD REQUIRES AT OUR HANDS, THE BLOOD OF THE LOST WE DID NOT WITNESS TO.
SOMEONE ONCE ASKED DANIEL WEBSTER “WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER TO BE THE GREATEST SINGLE THOUGHT THAT EVER OCCUPIED YOUR MIND?”
WITHOUT ANY HESITATION HE ANSWERED, “THE GREATEST SINGLE THOUGHT THAT EVER OCCUPIED MY MIND IS THAT ONE DAY I WILL HAVE TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF MYSELF TO ALMIGHTY GOD.”
THE DAY THAT YOU GIVE AN ACCOUNT OF YOURSELF TO GOD, WILL YOU RECEIVE THE “CROWN OF REJOICING”? 1 THESSALONIANS TALKS ABOUT THIS CROWN. THIS IS THE CROWN FOR THE SOUL-WINNER WHO HAS LED OTHER PEOPLE TO FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST.
WILL YOU RECEIVE A CROWN, OR WILL YOU RECEIVE A LOOK OF DISAPPOINTMENT FROM THE FACE OF THE SAVIOR. A LOOK OF DISAPPOINTMENT, WHEN HE CANNOT SAY WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT. A LOOK OF DISAPPOINTMENT WHEN HE ASKS WHY?
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT THAT DURING THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, THERE WILL NOT BE A LAWYER THERE TO SPEAK ON YOUR BEHALF. Jesus Christ IS THE INTERCESSOR NOW, BUT AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST, HE WILL BE THE JUDGE AND JURY AS WELL.
THE JUST JUDGE MAY ASK YOU A QUESTION, AND YOU WILL HAVE TO ANSWER. YOU WILL NOT HAVE A JOHNNY COCHRAN OR AN F. PEARL BAILEY SPEAKING ON YOUR BEHALF. BEFORE CHRIST, YOU MUST REPRESENT YOURSELF.
WHAT IF YOU HAVE TO GIVE AN EXPLANATION FOR YOUR BEHAVIOR AS A CHRISTIAN HERE ON THIS EARTH. WHAT COULD YOU POSSIBLY TELL JESUS CHRIST, THAT WOULD MAKE HIM UNDERSTAND WHY YOU FAILED AS AN AMBASSADOR, WHY YOU FAILED AS A WATCHMAN.
TRYING TO EXPLAIN WHY WE FAILED TO WITNESS TO EVEN ONE PERSON WE ENCOUNTERED WILL BE BAD ENOUGH. IS THERE MORE THAN ONE? HOW MANY EXCUSES CAN WE COME UP WITH?
IN HEAVEN, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SINGLE EXCUSE, THAT WILL BE ACCEPTED. WE WILL HAVE TO BE 100% HONEST. THERE WILL BE NO WAY TO STRETCH THE TRUTH BEFORE THE ONE WHO IS THE TRUTH.
WOULD YOU SAY, LORD, I DIDN’T WITNESS TO HIM BECAUSE I DIDN’T HAVE TIME. THE RACE WAS ON TV, AND I HAD TO GET HOME. Jesus Christ COULD HAVE SAID I DIDN’T HAVE TIME TO DIE FOR YOU—PASSOVER WAS COMING UP AND I HAD TO GET SOME SHOPPING DONE FOR OUR BIG MEAL. BUT HE DIDN’T.
LORD, I DID NOT SHARE SALVATION WITH HER BECAUSE, I JUST DIDN’T FEEL LIKE IT THAT DAY, I WAS TIRED, AND WEAK. I REALLY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT I COULD DO ALL THINGS THROUGH YOU.
Jesus Christ COULD HAVE SAID, I REALLY DIDN’T FEEL LIKE LETTING THEM ARREST ME THAT NIGHT IN THE GARDEN. I WAS PHYSICALLY TIRED AND WEAK, SWEATING DROPS OF BLOOD REALLY TAKES IT OUT OF YOU. BUT HE DIDN’T.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY TO Jesus Christ WHEN HE ASKS WHY? IT’S TOO LATE TO SAY I’M SORRY—BESIDES, THEY ARE MOST LIKELY ALREADY BURNING IN HELL.
IT’S TOO LATE TO TRY AND GO BACK AND FIX IT. THERE ARE NO DO OVERS AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST BECAUSE TIME FOR THE CHRISTIAN WILL HAVE COME TO AN END.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SAY TO Jesus Christ WHEN HE ASKS WHY? WHY DID YOU NOT INVITE JOHN TO CHURCH? WHY DID YOU NOT TELL JANE WHAT I DID FOR YOU WHEN YOU WERE IN THE SAME SITUATION THAT SHE FOUND HERSELF IN?
WHAT IS OUR ANSWER GOING TO BE? WHAT WILL BE OUR OVERALL RATING WHEN Jesus IS THROUGH WITH OUR PERFORMANCE REVIEW? HOW MANY CROWNS WILL WE HAVE TO THROW AT THE SAVIOR’S FEET?
CHRISTIAN, DO YOU TAKE YOUR RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY?
LET US PRAY.
